End of February, the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) hosted a popular Roundtable for the textile industry in Charleston, SC. The headline was “Making a Business Case for GOTS Certification“. GOTS Roundtables take place all over the globe to connect stakeholders in order to define challenges, opportunities as well as providing feedback to GOTS on specific sectoral or regional needs..

The Roundtable attracted a packed room of brands, trade associations, textile manufacturers, organic certification agencies and organic cotton farmers. They heard and discussed presentations on topics ranging from general 2017 GOTS progress – particularly in the apparel and home textiles sector – to supply chain integrity, current and future markets, and international opportunities.

From the Organic Trade Association (OTA) – one of the GOTS founding organizations and co-host of the Roundtable – Gwendolyn Wyard talked about how GOTS intersects with United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Organic Program and Monique Marez reported on OTA’s recent marketing survey why today’s millennial consumer is tomorrow’s organic parent. Best practice examples how GOTS strengthens the U.S. textile and apparel industry were presented by Marci Zaroff (Metawear) and Eileen Mockus (Coyuchi) – both U.S. pioneer enterprises. Furthermore Angela Wartes-Kahl from Oregon Tilth Certification Organization (OTCO) - one of the GOTS accredited third party certifiers presented on how you can safeguard your company from “Greenwashing” through third-party verification.

 “What an amazing experience to see the commitment and enthusiasm around – and strong support for – GOTS, from organic cotton farmers to mainstream brands choosing to “Go GOTS,” said Lori Wyman, GOTS Representative in North America.

GOTS is the stringent voluntary global standard for the entire post-harvest processing (including spinning, knitting, weaving, dyeing and manufacturing) of apparel and home textiles made with organic fiber (such as organic cotton and organic wool), and includes both environmental and social criteria. In May 2011, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) formally recognized GOTS certification supporting the proper labeling of textiles sold as “organic” in the U.S. GOTS certification enables consumers to purchase items that are third party certified organic from field to finished product.